The benefits of walking, cycling and scooting to campus
Active travel is using your body to make the journey and therefore includes walking, cycling and scooting to campus. It’s an important part of leading a healthier lifestyle and can also help to decarbonise transport systems in towns and cities.
The benefits are not just for the environment, but your body, mind and bank balance can all benefit too. So, why not make this simple change and see what difference it can make?
Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect to see.
Beginning your day with a healthy activity, such as walking or cycling to campus, wakes you up by boosting your circulation and allows you to start the day with a sense of accomplishment.
Throughout the day, you may feel more inclined to make healthy, positive choices.
Teachers have found that pupils who cycle, walk or scoot are more relaxed, alert and ready to start the day compared to those who travel by car.
Fasted morning rides at a low intensity may burn fat, enhance endurance performance, and boost your energy and metabolism levels all day.
This means there is a lot of us who know we should be doing more to keep physically fit. However, it can be difficult to find the time or motivation to head to the gym after a long day studying or get up at 6 am for a run before work.
An active commute is an easy, convenient way to fit exercise into your daily life.
By switching to walking or cycling to campus you can do a little exercise every day, and you will hardly even notice it, unlike a sweaty gym workout. If you walk fast enough to raise your heart rate, temperature and breathing you can even reap the same kinds of rewards as a run on the treadmill.
If you take public transport you likely have no choice, if you drive it's probably habitual, but chances are you take the same journey every day. By walking or cycling to campus you give yourself the opportunity to take a different route, to explore the area, you may even find shortcuts, new sights and sounds or maybe even a new favourite route.
Why not, check out our walking routes or cycle routes.
Walking and cycling to campus also provide the opportunity to meet new people and socialise. The Student Support & Wellbeing team have a walking buddy scheme, whereby they can put you in touch with another student who's around for a walk.
Walking can help reduce anxiety, depression, and other negative moods. It can also boost self-esteem and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal.
Walking can also help clear your head and allows you to think more creatively. Strolling in the outdoors can allow an easier flow of ideas, resulting in more creative and thoughtful solutions!
